précis, the MIT Center for International Studies newsletter, covers the wide range of Center activities and tracks the accomplishments of our faculty, researchers and affiliates.
It is published twice yearly, once during each academic semester.

If you have story ideas or would like to write an article, please contact the 2009-2010 graduate student editor, Tara Maller.

Submission Details

CIS affiliates (including graduate students) are welcome to submit research articles to be excerpted in précis. These articles can have been recently published in academic journals or the popular press (we can arrange reprint rights), or they can be as yet unpublished. Although research article submissions can be of any length, they are edited, with authors' permission, to approximately 1500-2000 words. Excerpts should be proposed by September 15 for the fall issue and by January 15 for the spring issue.

Spring 2009 Issue

MIT-Harvard Gaza Symposium Co-Sponsored by CIS

The Gaza Symposium, jointly organized by MIT and Harvard, hosted a series of panels on the role of U.S. and international actors, as well as human rights and international humanitarian law in the wake of recent events in Gaza.

Featured articles

Learning to Be Capitalists

By Annette Kim

Why have some countries transitioned to capitalism so rapidly? How did they change their economies so fundamentally when so many reform efforts in developing countries have been ineffective? The conundrum has grown the last two decades...with varying results.

Thinking Clearly About China's Economic Statecraft

By William Norris

One of the most important phenomena characterizing the international environment today is the rise of China. At $3.4 trillion, China's economy is the third largest in the world and continues to grow rapidly.

précis Interview: Fotini Christia

Fotini Christia joined the MIT faculty in fall 2008 as assistant professor in political science. Her current work at MIT, how to achieve "success" in Afghanistan, and what Iranians think about Americans are among the topics she addresses.